From gaming to teleconferencing, virtual reality and augmented reality is becoming more common than ever. According to virtual reality, users are provided with visual and sometimes audio feedback simulating a virtual environment. Virtual reality interfaces are used to provide the users with visual and often audio feedback from the virtual environment. According to augmented reality, a virtual reality interface is used to project visual and/or audio features that augment the user's concrete reality. Various types of interfaces are used for virtual and augmented reality, including commercially available virtual reality hoods and optical head-mounted displays.
Users in virtual and augmented reality environments are typically represented to themselves and to other users as avatars. An avatar is a representation of a user. A user's avatar can be a representation of the user's actual physical appearance or can be fanciful. Users interact with one another within virtual reality environments through their avatars. Current avatars, however, do not adequately reproduce the range of human feedback necessary for natural, comfortable interaction.